Rethinking 'Servant Leadership'

We’ve all heard leaders should practice “servant leadership.”

And there’s truth in that...

Especially for Christians.

Life is a life of service—Jesus washed feet, fed the hungry, and laid His life down for others.

But somewhere along the way, “servant leadership” got redefined.

And the focus shifted from leading like Christ to satisfying the needs of others.

As a result…

Many men now believe leadership means keeping everyone happy, avoiding conflict, and letting the desires of others determine the direction of the home, church, or team.

Yet this isn’t how Jesus led.

Jesus served people—but He did not let them determine His mission.

So he was not afraid to correct, confront, command, and overrule.

In other words…

He refused to be domesticated by expectations, even well-meaning ones.

His service was always tied to the Father’s purpose, not to the crowd’s preferences.

And that’s the danger of today’s “servant leadership.”

It often trains men to be sensitive but not strong, responsive but not responsible, present but not purposeful.

So men end up focusing on responding to desires instead of advancing God’s mission.

Biblical leadership is different.

It is service under authority, in pursuit of a God-given vision.

It includes sacrifice, yes—but also direction, conviction, and the courage to disappoint others for their good.

It means using the authority God entrusted to you to cultivate, protect, build, and lead those in your care toward His purposes.

So you are called to more than meeting needs.

You are called to pursue God’s mission—and bring others with you.

And that is leadership worth following.

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